As you may or may not know, I am a graduate of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University. I received my Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts in 2007. Life as a food photographer in Louisiana and around the world has been crazy ever since.

Today marks a very special day. The new Lanny D. Ledet Culinary Arts Building is officially open. While important, I don't want to focus on the new building. Yes, it brings the CJFCI campus to the technological forefront of the culinary industry. Yes, it will draw in new students from around the country. But the thing that I am most excited for is that it provides an exceptional staff of chefs and professors the tools to teach at their highest potential.

Most of my teachers are still there and many of the images hanging on the wall were photos I took during one class or another. Walking through for the first time was such a surreal experience. Echos of praise for the new facility was heard every time I ran into a fellow alumnus. One day the old small kitchens of Geaux Hall will be just a faint memory, but with people like the late instructor Chef George Kaslow, the soul of a chef will be passed on to many generations to come. Photos follow...